Abstract：
BACKGROUND: Pandemic public health measures, such as masks and social distancing, present unique challenges for people who are hard-of-hearing. This study sought to understand how adolescents with varying levels of hearing loss would describe their experiences communicating in a classroom environment during a pandemic and its associated public health measures.
METHODS: Qualitative study utilizing one-on-one semi-structured interviews conducted from July 2021 to April 2022. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a reflexive thematic analysis to conceptualize the main themes from the data. Adolescents ages 12-17 who attended school in person during the COVID-19 pandemic with either normal hearing or; bilateral cochlear implants or; bone-anchored hearing aids or; unilateral moderate to severe (40-70 dB) conductive hearing loss secondary to mastoidectomy, were interviewed. Participants were recruited from BC Children\'s Hospital Otolaryngology clinic via a convenience sample.
RESULTS: Fourteen adolescents were interviewed with a median age of 15, 9 with hearing loss and 5 with normal hearing. Pandemic associated challenges such as masks muffling speech, protocol fatigue, and missing pre-pandemic life were present in both the hearing loss and normal hearing groups. Classroom communication for adolescents with hearing loss was disproportionately affected by pandemic measures, leading to challenges making friends, feeling behind their peers in learning, and listening fatigue. Resilience was noted among adolescents with hearing loss in their ability to adapt to pandemic measures and changing classroom dynamics. For adolescents with unilateral hearing loss, the pandemic provided an improved listening environment via a reduction in background noise.
CONCLUSIONS: Pre-existing classroom communication challenges for adolescents with hearing loss were amplified under pandemic public health measures and shared, in part, by those with normal hearing. These findings can be used to further inform classroom design to the optimize learning environment for deaf and hard of hearing students.
METHODS: Qualitative study utilizing one-on-one semi-structured interviews conducted from July 2021 to April 2022. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a reflexive thematic analysis to conceptualize the main themes from the data. Adolescents ages 12-17 who attended school in person during the COVID-19 pandemic with either normal hearing or; bilateral cochlear implants or; bone-anchored hearing aids or; unilateral moderate to severe (40-70 dB) conductive hearing loss secondary to mastoidectomy, were interviewed. Participants were recruited from BC Children\'s Hospital Otolaryngology clinic via a convenience sample.
RESULTS: Fourteen adolescents were interviewed with a median age of 15, 9 with hearing loss and 5 with normal hearing. Pandemic associated challenges such as masks muffling speech, protocol fatigue, and missing pre-pandemic life were present in both the hearing loss and normal hearing groups. Classroom communication for adolescents with hearing loss was disproportionately affected by pandemic measures, leading to challenges making friends, feeling behind their peers in learning, and listening fatigue. Resilience was noted among adolescents with hearing loss in their ability to adapt to pandemic measures and changing classroom dynamics. For adolescents with unilateral hearing loss, the pandemic provided an improved listening environment via a reduction in background noise.
CONCLUSIONS: Pre-existing classroom communication challenges for adolescents with hearing loss were amplified under pandemic public health measures and shared, in part, by those with normal hearing. These findings can be used to further inform classroom design to the optimize learning environment for deaf and hard of hearing students.
摘要：
背景：大流行公共卫生措施，比如面具和社交距离，为听力困难的人带来独特的挑战。这项研究旨在了解听力损失程度不同的青少年如何描述他们在大流行期间在课堂环境中交流的经历及其相关的公共卫生措施。
方法：定性研究利用2021年7月至2022年4月进行的一对一半结构化访谈。使用反身性主题分析对访谈进行转录和分析，以从数据中概念化主要主题。12-17岁的青少年，在COVID-19大流行期间亲自上学，听力正常或；双侧人工耳蜗植入或；骨锚式助听器或；单侧中度至重度（40-70分贝）传导性听力损失继发于乳突切除术，被采访了。通过便利样本从BC儿童医院耳鼻咽喉科诊所招募参与者。
结果：对14名青少年进行了访谈，中位年龄为15岁，听力损失为9岁，听力正常为5岁。大流行相关的挑战，如口罩消音演讲，协议疲劳，在听力损失组和正常听力组中,都存在大流行前生命缺失的情况.听力损失青少年的课堂交流不成比例地受到大流行措施的影响，导致交朋友的挑战，在学习上落后于同龄人，听力疲劳。在听力损失的青少年中，人们注意到他们适应大流行措施和不断变化的课堂动态的能力。对于单侧听力损失的青少年，大流行通过减少背景噪音提供了改善的收听环境。
结论：在大流行的公共卫生措施下，听力损失青少年先前存在的课堂交流挑战被放大了，在某种程度上,听力正常的人。这些发现可用于进一步指导课堂设计，以优化聋哑学生的学习环境。
方法：定性研究利用2021年7月至2022年4月进行的一对一半结构化访谈。使用反身性主题分析对访谈进行转录和分析，以从数据中概念化主要主题。12-17岁的青少年，在COVID-19大流行期间亲自上学，听力正常或；双侧人工耳蜗植入或；骨锚式助听器或；单侧中度至重度（40-70分贝）传导性听力损失继发于乳突切除术，被采访了。通过便利样本从BC儿童医院耳鼻咽喉科诊所招募参与者。
结果：对14名青少年进行了访谈，中位年龄为15岁，听力损失为9岁，听力正常为5岁。大流行相关的挑战，如口罩消音演讲，协议疲劳，在听力损失组和正常听力组中,都存在大流行前生命缺失的情况.听力损失青少年的课堂交流不成比例地受到大流行措施的影响，导致交朋友的挑战，在学习上落后于同龄人，听力疲劳。在听力损失的青少年中，人们注意到他们适应大流行措施和不断变化的课堂动态的能力。对于单侧听力损失的青少年，大流行通过减少背景噪音提供了改善的收听环境。
结论：在大流行的公共卫生措施下，听力损失青少年先前存在的课堂交流挑战被放大了，在某种程度上,听力正常的人。这些发现可用于进一步指导课堂设计，以优化聋哑学生的学习环境。
